Cup Holder

ABSTRACT

A cup holder for holding beverage containers in conjunction with shopping carts and the like. The holder includes a top including an aperture formed therein that is dimensioned to accept said beverage container; first and second sides extending from the top and including first and second hook portions, respectively, and a bottom including two sections interconnected to the first and second sides. All of the elements of the holder are integrally connected via folds for movement of the top, the first and second sides, and the first and second sections of said bottom between a first position, wherein the first and second sections of the bottom, the first and second sides, and the top extend along a common plane, and a second position, where the first and second sections of the bottom, the first and second sides, and the top are positioned to retain the beverage container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to cup holders for holdingbeverage containers, and, more particularly, to such cup holders thatmay be used in conjunction with shopping carts and the like.

2. Description of Prior Art

With the proliferation of an “on the go,” “multitasking” lifestyle,comes the need to consume food and beverages in situations other than athome around the dinner table. Thus, fast food restaurants, convenientmarts and the like provide food and beverages to satisfy that need.Alternatively, people may pack and go from home, bringing their food andbeverages with them in the car to their next destination.

Cup holders, for example, have been developed for automobiles (whichshould be appreciated by those skilled in the art and need not berepeated herein) to afford spaces for beverage containers includingwater bottles, fast food beverage containers, coffee mugs, soft drinksand the like.

In situations where consumers bring their beverages with them from thecar and into a store, or purchase beverages within a store, and consumethe beverages while they continue to shop, however, it would be usefuland desirable to have a device that held a person's beverage containeron a shopping cart to allow hands free shopping and to avoid beveragespillage. In addition, it would be useful and desirable for such adevice to be easily assembled, implemented, and disassembled by oneindividual.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, cup holdersfor holding beverage containers, and, more particularly, cup holdersthat may be used in conjunction with shopping carts and the like toallow hands free shopping and to avoid beverage spillage, are provided.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a cup holderthat can be easily assembled for use by one individual without the useof an adhesive, such as glue, is provided.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a cup holderthat can be easily implemented by one individual is provided.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a cup holderthat can be easily disassembled for compact storage until reuse, or fordisposal is provided.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a cup holdercomprising a bottom wall, two side walls, a top surface, a front side(side facing away from the consumer and towards a basket of a shoppingcart), and a back side (side facing the consumer and away from a basketof a shopping cart) is provided. The bottom wall comprises a smallersurface area than that of the top surface, but is large enough tosupport a bottom surface of a beverage container. The side wallscomprise hook portions which engage the cage of a shopping cart, e.g., ahorizontal bar member at the back side of a shopping cart. The topsurface comprises a surface area that is larger than the surface areabottom wall. A majority of this area is above the basket or a seat inthe cart, and the remainder of the area resides over and behind saidhorizontal bar member. The top surface further comprises slits extendingcircumferentially around an opening to frictionally engage the outsidesurface of a beverage container. This opening leads into a beveragecontainer holding area, formed by the inside portions of the bottomwall, top surface, and two side walls, where a beverage containerresides during use of the cup holder. This area is above the basket or aseat in the cart.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the hookportions extend up the side wall perpendicularly from the horizontalplane of the bottom wall, or may extend at a slight angle from thehorizontal plane of the bottom wall and away from the beverage containerholding area. At about half way up the side portion is the hook end ofthe hook portion (The hook portion looks like the silhouette of abackwards “P” or a number “9.”).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the front endportions of the side walls extend from the front side of the cup holderat an angle from the horizontal plane of the bottom wall, and away fromthe beverage container holding area to the top surface. The side wallfurther comprises a portion which is parallel to the plane of the bottomwall, and begins about halfway up the side wall from the bottom wall,just below the hook end of the hook portion. This parallel portionrearwardly extends to a portion which is perpendicular to (or at aslight angle from) the plane of the bottom wall and upwardly extends tomeet the top surface.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the cupholder of an embodiment of the present invention holds beveragecontainers such as water bottles, fast food beverage containers, paper“to-go” coffee containers, coffee mugs, travel mugs, soft drink cans,soft drink bottles and the like. More preferably, the cup holder of anembodiment of the present invention holds fast food beverage containers.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the cupholder of an embodiment of the present invention in its unassembled formcomprises a flat planar sheet, made of a paper product such ascardboard, corrugated F. Flute and the like. The flat planar sheetcomprises two bottom wall portions, two side wall portions, a topsurface portion (which comprises slits extending circumferentiallyaround an opening), all in one plane. Each bottom wall portion comprisesa slit and a fold, which separates each bottom portion from an adjacentside wall portion. Each side wall portion comprises a hook portion witha hook end and a fold, which separates the side wall portion from thetop surface portion.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the assemblyof the cup holder comprises folding the folds that separate the sidewall portions from the top surface portion in the same directionperpendicular to the plane of the planar sheet, folding the fold thatseparates each bottom portion from an adjacent side wall portion in adirection towards the other respective bottom portion and perpendicularto the plane of the side wall portions, and engaging the slits of therespective bottom portions with one another to lock the bottom portionso that it forms a single planar bottom wall surface which is parallelto the top surface. The container can then be installed onto a shoppingcart by engaging the hook portions with a hook end with the cage of ashopping cart, e.g., a horizontal bar member at the back side of ashopping cart as described supra. A beverage container may be placedinto the cup holder after the cup holder is assembled, preferably afterthe cup holder is engaged with the shopping cart. The cup holder may bedisassembled by performing the assembly steps in the opposite order.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated byreading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 a-1 d are perspective views that illustrate a cup holder, withand without a beverage container, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 2 a-2 d are perspective views that illustrate a cup holder in useon a shopping cart with a beverage container according to an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view that illustrate a cup holder in itsunassembled form according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, cup holdersfor holding beverage containers, and, more particularly, cup holdersthat may be used in conjunction with shopping carts and the like toallow hands free shopping and to avoid beverage spillage, are provided.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to likecomponents, FIGS. 1 a-1 d show a cup holder 10, with and without abeverage container 200, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. A cup holder 10 comprising a bottom wall 11, two side walls12, a top surface 13, a front side 14 (side facing away from theconsumer and towards a basket of a shopping cart), and a back side 15(side facing the consumer and away from a basket of a shopping cart) isshown. The bottom wall 11 comprises a smaller surface area than that ofthe top surface 13, but is large enough to support a bottom surface of abeverage container 200. The side walls 12 comprise hook portions 16which engage the cage of a shopping cart 300, e.g., a horizontal barmember 310 at the back side of a shopping cart 300 (see FIGS. 2 a-2 d).The top surface 13 comprises a surface area (including the opening 18)that is larger than the surface area of the bottom wall 11. A majorityof this area is above the basket or a seat in the cart 200, and theremainder of the area resides over and behind said horizontal bar member310 (as shown in FIGS. 2 a-2 d). The top surface 13 further comprisesslits 17 extending circumferentially around an opening 18 tofrictionally engage the outside surface of a beverage container 200.This opening 18 leads into a beverage container holding area 20, formedby the inside portions of the bottom wall 11, top surface 13, and twoside walls 12, where a beverage container 200 resides during use of thecup holder 10. This area is above the basket or a seat in the cart 300(as shown in FIGS. 2 a-2 d).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the hookportions 16 extend up the side wall 12 perpendicularly from thehorizontal plane of the bottom wall 11, or may extend at a slight anglefrom the horizontal plane of the bottom wall 11 and away from thebeverage container holding area 20. At about half way up the side wall11 is a hook end 21 of the hook portion 16 (The hook portion 16 lookslike the silhouette of a backwards “P” or a number “9.”).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the front endportions 22 of the side walls 12 extend from the front side 14 of thecup holder 100 at an angle from the horizontal plane of the bottom wall11 and away from the beverage container holding area 20 to the topsurface 13. The side wall 12 further comprises a portion which isparallel 23 to the plane of the bottom wall 11, and begins about halfway up the side wall 12 from the bottom wall 11, just below the hook end21 of the hook portion 16. This parallel portion 23 rearwardly extendsto a portion 24 which is perpendicular to (or at a slight angle from)the plane of the bottom wall 11 and upwardly extends to meet the topsurface 13.

Turning to FIG. 3, a cup holder 10 in its unassembled form- according toan embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. This embodimentshows a cup holder 10 in its unassembled form comprising a flat planarsheet 400, made of a paper product such as cardboard, corrugated F.Flute and the like. The flat planar sheet 400 comprises two bottom wallportions 25, two side wall portions 12, a top surface portion 13 (whichcomprises slits 17 extending circumferentially around an opening 18),all in one plane. Each bottom wall portion 25 comprises a slit 26 and afold 27, which separates each bottom portion 25 from an adjacent sidewall portion 12. Each side wall portion 12 comprises a hook portion 16with a hook end 21 and a fold 28, which separates the side wall portions12 from the top surface portion 13.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the assemblyof the cup holder 10 comprises folding the folds 28 that separate theside wall portions 12 from the top surface 13 portion in the samedirection perpendicular to the plane of the planar sheet 400, foldingthe fold 27 that separates each bottom portion 25 from an adjacent sidewall portion 12 in a direction towards the other respective bottomportion 25 and perpendicular to the plane of the side wall portions 12,and engaging the slits 26 of the respective bottom portions 25 with oneanother to lock the bottom portions 25 together so that these portionsform a single planar bottom wall 11 surface which is parallel to the topsurface 13. The fully assembled cup holder 10 can then be installed ontoa shopping cart 300 by engaging the hook portions 16 (with a hook end21) with the cage of a shopping cart 300, e.g., a horizontal bar member310 at the back side of a shopping cart 300 (as described supra andshown in FIGS. 2 a-2 d). A beverage container 200 may be placed into thecup holder 10 after the cup holder 10 is assembled, preferably after thecup holder 10 is engaged with the shopping cart 300. The cup holder 10may be disassembled by performing the assembly steps in the oppositeorder.

1. A holder for a beverage container, comprising: a top defining a firstarea and including an aperture formed therein that is dimensioned toaccept said beverage container; first and second sides extending fromsaid top and including first and second hook portions, respectively; anda bottom defining a second area smaller than said first area andinterconnected to said first and second sides.
 2. The holder of claim 1,wherein said hook portions are integrally connected to said first andsecond sides.
 3. The holder of claim 2, wherein said top is integrallyattached to said first and second sides.
 4. The holder of claim 3,wherein said bottom comprises first and second sections having first andsecond slits, respectively, for interlocking with each other.
 5. Theholder of claim 4, wherein said first and second sections of said bottomand integrally attached to said first and second sides, respectively. 6.The holder of claim 5, wherein said first and second sections of saidbottom, said first and second sides, and said top are integrallyattached via folds that allow movement of said top, said first andsecond sides, and said first and second sections of said bottom betweena first position, wherein said first and second sections of said bottom,said first and second sides, and said top extend along a common plane,and a second position, where said first and second sections of saidbottom, said first and second sides, and said top are positioned toretain said beverage container.
 7. The holder of claim 6, wherein saidsides taper from a widest dimension proximate to said top and anarrowest dimension proximate to said bottom.
 8. The holder of claim 7,wherein said hook portions are dimensioned to engage a horizontal bar ona shopping cart.
 9. The holder of claim 8, wherein said hook positionedare dimensioned to position said top above said horizontal bar of saidshopping cart.
 10. A method of supporting a beverage container on ashopping cart, comprising the steps of: providing a holder comprising atop including an aperture formed therein that is dimensioned to acceptsaid beverage container, first and second sides integrally extendingfrom said top and including first and second hook portions,respectively, and a bottom comprising first and second sectionsintegrally connected to said first and second sides and having first andsecond slits, respectively; and folding said holder from a firstposition, wherein said first and second sections of said bottom, saidfirst and second sides, and said top extend along a common plane, into asecond position, where said first and second sections of said bottom,said first and second sides, and said top are positioned to retain saidbeverage container.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising thestep of hanging said holder on a horizontal bar on a shopping cart. 12.The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of placing saidbeverage contain in said aperture.
 13. The method of claim 12, whereinsaid top is positioned is positioned above said horizontal bar of saidshopping cart after said holder is hung on said shopping cart.